Had dinner at The Albert and really enjoyed it. I got the orecchiette pasta and it was packed with…read moreflavor. The sausage was especially good and everything was cooked perfectly. They also have a great wine list, so finding a good pairing was easy. The whole place is inside the EMC2 hotel and has this fun Einstein theme going on. I loved the library vibes throughout the space. It kind of begs you to take a few photos because the interior is so well done. Service was really great too. Super friendly and made everything feel easy and relaxed. Definitely worth a visit if you're in the area.

So I took myself to a place that was on my "must go to" list. Called The Albert. Menu online is…read morewell designed and great looking food. Advertises as $100+ pricing so I'm like ok this is gonna be a nice dinner. What you don't see unless you're looking closely - It's in a medium end Marriott - not mad at that but it's not a stand alone restaurant. The menu looked absolutely nothing like they show on the restaurant website. It was cheap looking. Same food options as website. The ambiance was well designed but - hotel restaurant vibes. Ordered the tuna crudo. Nothing to write home about. The mussels - I'm maybe gonna wake up with food poisoning tomorrow. The bucatini pesto pasta looked like regurgitated peas baby food and overcooked pasta. I sent it back kindly. And the chicken thighs were cooked. Like, that's all I can say. So I paid, still hungry. Cause the chicken thighs had basically no meat. Crudo is naturally so small and the mussels equally. Left and am now at Hampton Social eating a delicious lobster roll and tomato bisque. The highlight! The people sitting next to me asked me if o was a good critic! Haha - best compliment ever! But disappointment of a restaurant.

Timothy O'Toole's is a tasty Irish pub and sports bar on a corner in Streeterville - Near North…read moreSide, Chicago. We stopped in on a Friday midafternoon (May 2026), and found a moderate crowd, good food, and good service. For starters, we had perfect calamari. Crunchy on the outside, tender and juicy on the inside. It went well with the medium-spicy salsa they provided. This is already a win with any cold beer and any game on their many tvs! We would definitely it get again! We had their shepherd's pie: really flavorful Guinness Irish beef stew under a deliciously creamy layer of parmesan mashed potatoes, nicely crunchy on the outside with a lightly toasted top, and Irish soda bread. Delicious and satisfying! We loved the pastrami reuben sandwich, and we're not even big fans of sauerkraut in a sandwich. But in O'Toole's version, everything came together in a perfect union - the pastrami, the thousand-island dressing, the sauerkraut, and the griddled marble rye. We deliberately left off the Swiss cheese, and maybe that's the trick (for us) to balance the sauerkraut? Well, it worked nicely this way. We were still there towards the end of their weekday 3-6pm happy hour, so we got the $9 Chicago Handshake! A shot of Mälort & an OldStyle chaser! "Mälort-face" free of charge!

First time ever here and the food was great! We decided to stop here cause it was the only thing…read morereally in walking distance with the kitchen still open once we finally were able to eat. We were greeted with a warm welcome at the door and the server was very friendly and checked on us often. The interior was loud - obviously it's a bar! But that's too be expected. However, we enjoyed the atmosphere and it was clean and had lots of seating options with several TVs and good music. We tried the pretzel trio and we inhaled it so fast!! The pretzels bites were more like light bread sticks than dense pretzel dough and I really loved that. They were lightly toasted and just the right amount of salt. I loved ALL the dips. The beer cheese was tangy and the honey mustard had just the right bit of sweet and sharp and the brown mustard was perfectly chunky and funky hahaha I absolutely loved the house made chips that came with my birria grilled cheese and the consomme was so yummy I could have drank it straight. The meat was flavorful and well cooked. It paired really well with the sourdough. Would definitely come back!

Z Bar is the lounge at the Peninsula. There's a terrace if the weather is nice or huge windows if…read moreit's not. Getting there was a bit complicated - you take elevators up/down depending on where you come in. I chose to sit at the bar, but there are nice loungy spots too. Expect well curated and well crafted cocktails, along with a nice menu of snacks. I Enjoyed some very nice champagne (Perrier Jouet) and mini samosas. The samosas were really nice and an absolutely huge portion. Yeah, it's expensive but it's the Peninsula and you're worth it.

Elevated cozy bar/lounge experience within the city. Seats may be limited but if you can grab one,…read moreit's worth the wait. Great drinks, good service definitely worth coming back for a nightcap. -Mr.

Let me start by saying that the views were 5 star and the place has a cool vibe - although the…read morehouse music they were playing was a bit loud for the small number of people eating when I was up there. That said, this place just completely disappointed. The food was just not good. I had the burger sliders and for $9 a piece you expect them to be something special. They were not. Overcooked with a little sauce and two pickles slapped on the bun with a tiny little dab of fake cheese - it was like a bad and way more expensive version of McDonald's. The onion rings were the frozen crumbly kind not the fresh beer battered kind and so that's a big "no!" for me. The dipping sauce was okay. Service was friendly and I think the guy was new but it wasn't good enough for a place like that at the top of the building. There were two servers so I'm guessing one was training maybe. They didn't make it to my table to check to see if everything was okay while I was eating and it even took them a while to notice that I was done eating. It's was slow so I don't think they were stressing with too many tables. That kind of place should knock your socks off - but it was on the low end of mediocre. I wouldn't go there again for food. Maybe it's a decent place to go to the bar but since I don't drink I can't help much on that end.

Great food, drinks, and view. We came on a Sunday and ordered some drinks to start, as well as…read moreBrussels sprouts. There were a small portion but delicious. Not too crispy but still tasty. We also shared the half chicken and Ceasar salad with shrimp. There were only 3 pieces of shrimp for the extra money we spent; but otherwise the food was delicious. Definitely on the pricier side because of the rooftop and area.

Haven't been to Streeter's in ages! Love that things haven't changed and for the better! It's…read morestill a fun and happening dive bar like I remember it from my college days. Came here after our company's Christmas party to grab some drinks and mingle some more. The crowd is chill and mixed and just a fun atmosphere. We played a game of darts, sat around and talked and people watched and drank some dranks. Great bar located in the heart of downtown and it was pretty poppin for a Thursday night.

I love this place!…read more We went in during the snowstorm and it was toasty warm. Every staff member I encountered was professional and friendly. Drinks were reasonably priced. Great ambience.

Cash only bar, great drinks and service! Atmosphere is a dive bar experience with decent music,…read morediverse crowd and a group of bar regulars! From personal experience Ii advise you to only have drinks and not get involved with anyone you meet at this place! If you want to meet quality people you will not find them here!

Pros: -unique and hidden…read more-divey meets cozy vibe -cash only (i believe!) -very reasonable pricing -patrons very nice Cons: NONE

This place was an awesome find, right across the street from our Marriott hotel. It's a bit hidden,…read moreinside the theater building, up the escalator, with the door a little off to the side of the second floor landing. When the rest of Chicago's local mainstream beers failed me, all do the beers at this place were top notch. I ordered the burger which was amazing, makes sense why they were rated one of the top burgers in Chicago. The waitress was really nice and dealt with our split checks and business checks for food only. She even recognized my obscure 90s tattoo, one of the first :). Will definitely visit again when in Chicago.

A brewery off the main drag in Downtown Chicago...we had to check it out!!…read more Located on the second level with the AMC theater, this brewery and restaurant is a tucked away oasis! Plenty of tables and bar seating, this casual spot was perfect for a break from the hustle. We were really drawn to the artwork and whimsy of it all! Our server was a bit short and non-present but it didn't ruin the experience. They have a good variety of seasonal and all the time brews! We had their Black Lager and IPA, both of which were refreshing! Nothing crazy to write home about, but good sippers! Worth a stop for sure!

The cocktail selection is nicely innovative as it is in many of the W XYZ bars. There's almost no…read morebeer here, though. A few cans but nothing on draft. I'm not sure if it is just COVID (although every other place I went to over the weekend was packed and reservation only) but this bar is huge and empty on a Friday night. It's really not clear where the bar area is supposed to be. The live entertainment was over by the door to the hotel. When you're ready to pay, it's a weird setup. You have to walk to the end of the bar because their PIN pad is down there and not wireless. It's nice to have the security of not handing your card over but still an unusual setup. Good for a hotel bar but wouldn't come here if I wasn't staying at the hotel.

Popped into this vibrant, colorful modern hotel bar conveniently located next to the Chez wedding…read morevenue. Cocktails are all cleverly themed to match the vibe of the place. There's a cozy gas fireplace and comfy seating in the lobby. Drinks are in the sweet side. Great spot to take a break from shopping just steps away from the hustle and bustle of the Mag Mile.

Came here for a late night dinner with a large group from work…read more The waitress was nice enough to recommend local drinks. I ordered cosmo - which I wouldn't recommend. It is too strong... I cannot taste any sweetness from it... We ordered large portions of appetizers: cocktail shrimps, house chips and fruit salad. So when it came to the actual dinner, we were all full... I ended up with a chopped salad, which turned out to be good. (Not that it contains peanuts.)

Very good food. Server was very nice and personable…read more Food came out fast and portions were good. I really enjoyed the fish sandwich. It comes with slaw on it. The chicken tenders were lightly breaded and good. Both fried items were not greasy. Daughter said the burger was really good. Service was a little spotty. I would have ordered another beer if our waitress came again. But she was taking care of several inside tables and the outside patio. Plan on spending $20+ per person especially if getting drinks.

Service is excellent, location is good, fun place. Stop in and check it out!…read more Great place for friends or couples.

Outstanding specials everyday of the week. Really got to thank our corporate overlords at Amazon…read more The pizza place right next door will have you a slice or 2 when you want something to soak up the booze. The bartenders are professional and cool.